St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-19
Harvest Home Festival at st.
Peters Mission---Bishop
Gilbert's Sermon.
Preparing to Entertain Presi-
dent Cleveland When He
Visits the Twins.
Travelling Passenger Agents
to Meet in st. Paul To-
morPow---NoteS.
NO sEcTAR1AN SCHOOLS.
Rev. Sam Smith Says the Public
Schools Must be Secular.


The First Methodist church was
crowded last evening when the Rev. 5.
q. Smith delivered another of his popu-
lar lectures, ehoosingsfor his subject
sPublic Schools" He took for his text
Matthew VII, IA.
Because. straightis the gate and narrow
is the way which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it,
In prefacing his remarks Dr.. Smith
said that many supposed that these
words referred to getting into heaven.
If men on this planet paid more atten-
into heaven, they would do more good.
The pictures of gardens, fruits
and flowers that bloom inces-
sanity have done more to damage
theology than anything else ever
published. Truth is the foundation of
all good character. How few really find
it in its best and largest sense. In life
there is 50 much of failure and so little
of victory; there are so many ways to
wreck human life. People should rid
themselves of the idea that Christianity
consists simply in being saved. The
child is large factor of the man, and
therefore the teachers of childhood are
practically the guides to manhood.
In the last century there has been
steady increase in depravity and de-
crease i'll virtue. A few years ago but
few people locked their doors
nights to guard their property from
those who seek to deprave and
destroy society. The trade of the
lockSmith has a great deal to say to the
American people. There was in former
years no need of such well-drilled
police forces. They had one day when
they laid aside the work and attended
church. There was time when Ameri-
can life was American power. Now, if
a man desires
TO RUN FOR OFFICE,
if he is a Scandinavian, German or
1riShman, so much the better. This
Babel must be put down. Only in unity
is there any possibility of success. We
must also have restoration of the old
time virtue. We must have American
ism in its broadcast sense. We must be
essentially ourselves, or we perish.
Therefore, the public schools are an i'm
pOrtant factor; factor to as
simulate and develop the ma
tiOnal life. In these public schools
we find the true symbol of our democ-
racy. TO teach human nature is essen
tial. You may put your boy in secta-
yOu OOuSll W bS-
come bigoted and narrow minded, but
you will not have the brainy, brawny
intellect and moral athlete you would
have, had he been sent to the public
school. The enemy of the public school
is the enemy of the state. Some say
that l say harsh things about the Roman
Catholic church. 1 simply say that it is
dominated Oh the other side of the
water by foreigner, is a foreign
innovation, and is dangerous, because
it is entirely un-American. What the
Roman Catholics did in Melrose, a short
time ago, they will do in st. Paul if
they become strong enough. American
people will see this issue sooner or later.
Good deeds in some communities cannot
atone for the harm they have done in
others. Teaching should be regarded
as one of the professions, and schools
must be emancipate6 from the current
of ordinary politics. All teachers must
possess a certain amount of knowledge:
they should have a certain amount of
tact and they should be enthusiastic.
Public schools must be secular; they
cannot be Sectarian.